Lionel Messi turned on the magic once again, scoring twice to inspire Inter Miami to a thrilling 4–3 comeback victory over LAFC in one of the most electrifying matches of the MLS season on Wednesday night at DRV PNK Stadium.
The game, which had fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish, saw Inter Miami come from behind twice, with Messi’s brilliance proving decisive in the final moments.
LAFC started the night strong, taking an early lead in the 12th minute through Denis Bouanga, who latched onto a loose ball inside the box and fired past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender. Miami responded quickly, however, with Messi scoring his first of the night in the 28th minute—a beautifully placed curling effort from the edge of the area that left LAFC’s keeper rooted to the spot.
Despite Miami’s equalizer, LAFC regained control just before the break with a goal from Carlos Vela, who finished off a slick team move to make it 2–1 at halftime.
The second half turned into a goal-fest. Miami drew level again in the 56th minute when Luis Suárez capitalized on a defensive mix-up to tap in from close range. Moments later, the stadium erupted as Messi found the net again—this time with a powerful left-footed drive after a clever one-two with Jordi Alba, putting Miami ahead 3–2.
LAFC refused to go down without a fight. Substitute Timothy Tillman pulled one back to level the game at 3–3 in the 78th minute. But Miami had the last word. In the 88th minute, Benjamin Cremaschi scored the winner following a Messi-led counterattack that carved open LA’s defense.
With this brace, Messi now has nine goals in six matches since returning from injury and continues to be the driving force behind Inter Miami’s push for playoff qualification.
After the match, Miami head coach Tata Martino praised Messi’s impact. “Leo was phenomenal—his vision, his goals, his leadership. He lifts everyone around him. This is why he’s the best.”
The win moves Inter Miami up to 5th place in the Eastern Conference standings, while LAFC will look to regroup after a rare defensive collapse.
